


Closed Your Eyes

by cassandrasfisher



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-07-29 07:28:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7675486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassandrasfisher/pseuds/cassandrasfisher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the incident at the triskelion being behind Bucky Barnes, he is now on his own to figure out who he is. He got himself a place to live as well as a job. The thing is will Hydra be the one to find him first and force him to go back to being The Winter Solider or will someone from his past be able to save him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Closed Your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> This story is for Bucky Barnes Big Bang 2016. I would like to thank my beta readers dreammaidenn, and Desiree for taken the time to beta read this story. If there are any other beta readers who I missed please let me know so I can add you. Thank you Paula for creating the art for my story. As soon as post it I will let you know.

The images of Steve drifting further down into the water faded from his mind. Bucky knew he needed time to heal. There wasn’t anyone to fix him; not even his best friend could help. Steve wouldn't, not after the incident at the triskelion where he had tried to kill him. Bucky had to get his life together and start to live as a normal person. Things were different now since the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the revealing of Hydra.

So far, he had a place to live and a job. His means of employment was a no questions asked, paid under the table deal. No documentation. No paper trail. It was good for him. For now he wanted to keep his head down and keep a low profile. He went by James and not by Bucky.

His name was James Buchanan Barnes.  He was a soldier once, but now he wasn’t anything. Everything had fallen apart; he didn’t know where to go, so he fell back into what he remembered. He needed to stay off the grid until someone contacted him, which would be soon.

His job had him working at all hours. He was able to work, but somehow he didn’t feel well. Bucky knew he wasn’t able to get sick due to the serum in his blood.

He was tired and just wanted to sleep more the usual. He thought it might be the after effect of being out of the cryogenic tank for so long. He might have to end up getting more sleeping to see if he could shake the feeling. If he didn’t get enough sleep it was going to mess with his job; that couldn’t happen. Bucky knew he needed to get back on a normal sleeping schedule.   

Exhausted from the day at work, the trip, the endless thoughts running through his mind and the need for sleep, Bucky finally reached his apartment. He stopped at his door and took out his keys to get into his apartment. His metal arm was hidden underneath the black leather jacket he wore.

all he had to do was think about having the arm with skin on it and a few moments later the illusion appeared.  

As he was stepping over the threshold, a young woman exited the apartment next to his. She wore sunglasses even though it wasn’t sunny enough to be wearing them. Bucky opened the door of his apartment and went in. Having no desire to get involved with others’ lives, Bucky quickly closed the door behind him.. He was here to keep a low profile and that was what he was going to do.

He headed in to crash on his couch.  He needed to at least try to sleep before his next shift. He closed the door and headed over to the couch. He sat down and then closed his eyes. He was going to get some sleep before he had to go back to work.

Bucky opened his eyes, unsure of what had woken him. He found the source after a second. He could hear someone yelling outside, so he made his way to the door. He opened the door a crack to see what was going on. It was then he saw a man hit the woman who lived next door.  Her fist connected with the man’s face. He staggered back a few feet.

“We’re through.”

She wiped her mouth with her hand.  She went into her apartment and locked the door. The man turned toward her door and banged on it.

“Maggie, I'm not done with you,” the man yelled. It was a minute later before the man gave up and walked away.  Bucky closed the door and went back to what he was doing before the altercation. Bucky set his phone alarm to wake him up so he could make his next shift.

                     

                             ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~

“Order up,” Bucky called out. He watched as a waitress came over and grabbed the plate.

He looked at the other tickets and started to make the orders. He didn’t mind this job. No one would think of looking for him here. The diner was out of the way, not  near any busy areas. Bucky knew to stay there until someone contacted him with further instructions. If he kept moving around, it would be harder to find him. Bucky wasn’t privy to what was happening in the world now.

The other cook called in sick, so Bucky ended up doing a double shift. It meant extra money in his pocket. He wasn’t complaining about having a little more money to do what he wanted.

It was late at night, and he had about ten minutes before the diner closed.  He put some food on so he could take dinner home with him and not have to cook. It’s one last thing to worry about today. There were only a couple of people there and they were close to finishing. When he looked up, he saw Maggie as she slipped into one of the counter seats. Gretchen went to take her order.

“What’ll you have?”

“Apple Pie please,” Maggie  replied as she watched Gretchen, who went to get her order. It didn’t take long for Gretchen to get the pie and place the plate in front of her.  Maggie adjusted her sunglasses.

“Hector?”

“It’s over between us. I'm not his punching bag. ”

Bucky’s hearing was good, but he had to strain a bit to hear the rest of the conversation. It took him a second to realize he was starting to involve himself in someone’s life, and he couldn’t afford that right now. Bucky turned his focus to his food. By the time his food was done, it was time for him to go.

He was able to pack his burger and fries into a small paper bag; he headed out an hour later. Bucky costed the diner for the night. He had to take the monorail to get back to his apartment. When he left the diner, it was dark, and he knew the monorail ran every half hour. It was automatic, so it didn’t have any real people there at night to run it.  He was on the platform when he noticed Maggie there as well.

It was a bit cold outside and Maggie pulled her jacket tighter.  Bucky put his bag of food on the bench beside him. He took off his coat, and he moved over to Maggie. Bucky watched as Maggie's eyes him. He still had a sweater on, so he was okay.

“Here you go,” Bucky said as he held out his jacket to her. It was a few moments before she reached for it.

“Thank you,” Maggie said as she put his coat around her shoulders.

Bucky stood there looking straight ahead. He felt her eyes on him. Bucky turned to look at her; he wanted to remove her sunglasses to see her eyes, but he didn’t. “You’re my next door neighbor right?”

Bucky just nodded his head to respond to the question she had asked. He wasn’t going to start a conversation because, in doing so, it meant he was interested in her life; which he wasn’t. He couldn’t be. He needed his life to be free of distractions.  And Maggie was a distraction. He couldn’t be distracted right now.

Bucky went back to looking at the monorail. He could still feel Maggie’s eyes on him. Before she could say anything else the monorail arrived. Bucky grabbed his food and they boarded. There was no one there when they stepped into the compartment of the monorail. It wasn’t long until they were at the stop near their apartment.

They got off and started to walk towards the apartment. It took them five minutes to get there. Maggie stopped in front of her door, she took off his jacket and held it out for him to take.

Bucky took it and then he turned to go into his apartment, but stopped when he heard Maggie’s voice.

“Thank you for the use of the jacket.”

Bucky looked back at Maggie and nodded his head. If he said something he was sure he would be pulled into a conversation, which wouldn’t be a good idea at the moment.  Bucky watched as she went into her apartment. When he knew she was safe he went into his apartment.

He sat down on the couch and took out the food from the take out bag he had his dinner in. He started to eat. His mind wandered back to Maggie. There was something about her he couldn’t put a finger on. He was going to figure it out without getting involved in her life.  It didn’t take long for him to finish eating. He took a shower and then  went to bed. His mind was thinking about Maggie as he fell into a dreamless sleep.

                             ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~

Bucky yawned.

He guessed his body needed more rest, but at the moment he couldn’t get any sleep thanks to work. Of course he was pulling a double shift again. He might have to schedule a day off so he can catch up on sleep.

Whenever that was, he hoped the nightmares wouldn’t plague him. The order he had to fix was done. He put it on a plate and put the plate on the counter.

“Order up.”

Gretchen came over and took the plate, but not before she gave him a smile before leaving. Bucky checked the next ticket and started to make the next order.

It was only a couple of minutes that passed by before Gretchen showed back up at the window. Bucky knew the next order wasn't done yet, so he wondered why Gretchen was there. He looked up from the stove.

“Do you need anything?” Bucky  asked her. Gretchen shook her head and looked right at him.

“James, I was wondering if you were free tonight? I just needed some help with something. I thought you might be able to, since you're strong and you can help me finish the job early.”

There's something about the way she asked him to help out. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, but he had a feeling she was up to no good. She had an eye on him, he wasn’t sure why though. It would be a good idea to keep an eye on her to see what she was planning

If she planned on messing with him it wouldn't be a good idea. He really didn't need any issues to come up. If they did he would end up taking care of it before he left. Somehow he was going to have to deal with Gretchen before she became a problem.

Bucky flipped the burger on the grill and looked up at Gretchen.

“Sorry, but I'm working a double shift. I'm sure there is someone you call that you know of instead of me.” Bucky said, as he used the spatula to pick up the burgers on the grill and put the patty on the bun on the waiting on so it would be ready to be served. As soon as the burger was on the plate, Bucky was able to add the rest of the customer's order then he put the plate on the counter.

“Order up.”

Gretchen picked up the plate and turned around and went to deliver it. Then she was back up the window. Bucky felt her eyes on him.

“If you need to, I am sure I can have Carlos drop the second shift,” Gretchen told him.

Bucky looked at her. She wasn't serious he hoped,  he couldn't afford to miss a day or call in sick.

“Sorry Gretchen, I'm not going to let Carlos down, plus I need the money.”

“It's your loss,” Gretchen told him, as she turned around and went back to her duties.

Bucky was sure it wasn't the end of dealing with her. He would have to watch her very closely to make sure she didn't jeopardize his plans to integrate himself back into this world as a member of society.

Throught the shift Bucky concentrated on cooking. He did feel tired, but he ignored his tiredness and he pushed through it. He knew he still had another shift he needed to work. Once the shift was over he was going to go home and he would just sleep. He would let his body catch up on the  rest he needed for as long as he could, but if he needed to get up then he would. It would be good when he got over this whole cryogen after effect.

Carlos handed Bucky his earnings for the day. Bucky put the money in his pocket after he got his dinner, or should he say breakfast, before he left. Maggie was there but Bucky wasn’t sure exactly why.

“My name is Maggie Saunders. I’ve noticed we’re  neighbors. I just wanted to introduce myself,” Maggie said, as she walked next to him.

“Bucky. It's nice to meet you. Is this your usual time out?” Bucky asked. He didn’t like she was out by herself when something bad could happen to her. For some reason Bucky wanted to make sure she was okay. Maggie looked at him. He noticed he didn’t mind saying his nickname to her instead of his given name.

“Umm… no. I decided I wanted to get to know you better so I decided to see if you were working. If not, I would head back home, but if you were then I would walk you back. I hope that’s okay with you.”

It was silent for a few moments before Bucky gave her his answer.

“Yeah it’s fine. Just to let you know, I’m not really good company,” Bucky admitted.  He really didn’t know how to act around others, well not in one on one situations.

It was a few minutes before either of them said anything.

“Have you lived here long?”

“Not too long. Why do you ask?” Bucky asked curiously. He wasn’t sure why she asked that particular question.

“I just wondered, I have never seen you around. Plus I’d like to get to know you better,” Maggie told him. Bucky knew it would be good to get to know others. If he worked on it he could  get to the point where, when he was with others, he didn’t feel like an outcast.

“I really don’t get out that much. It’s just home and work mostly.”

“Okay. You don’t like to go out a lot do you?”

Bucky shook his head as  a reply.

“Can I ask why not?”

“Never really had the desire to go out. I’m good with how everything is right now.”

“Do you ever think you might want to change that?” Maggie asked him. They stopped at the platform. Bucky turned and looked at her.

“I am not sure what I want right now. I just need to make sure I am able to support myself.”

Bucky was quiet after that. They just stood there in silence. Bucky felt Maggie grab his right hand. His first reaction was to jerk his hand out of hers, but he stopped. It was nice to have someone who held his hand and wasn’t afraid of him.  Bucky just let her hold his hand all the way back to the apartment.

“Well, I’ll see you around.” Maggie said as she went into her apartment.

Bucky went into his apartment, ate, and got ready for bed.

    ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~

Six months had gone by. Bucky and Maggie’s relationship grew. They both had gotten used to one another in that time. They had held hands and had a few makeout sessions, but nothing past that. As for getting to know one another, Maggie told him about her life. Bucky, on the other hand, told her he had run into some bad luck and he had to move to get away from it. He let her know he wasn’t in any trouble, so she didn’t need to worry about him. Maggie trusted what he told her.

Bucky hoped his past stayed away and left him alone, he was finally a real person and he was happy. Bucky knew he cared for Maggie and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her, not if he could help it. Bucky fought his body, which wanted more sleep, for a long time. He knew he was going to pay for it sooner or later.

Bucky opened his eyes to see Maggie who sat by his side.

“Bucky are you okay?” Maggie asked, her voice full of concern.

“What happened?”

“I called in and let Carlos know you’ve taken a few days off.”

“Why’d you do that?”

“For starters you’ve been asleep for thirty six hours straight. I couldn’t wake you. I was going to give it another twenty four hours before I called the hospital.”

“I have... I guess my body needs the rest,” Bucky quietly said.

“Are you okay? Do you need to be checked out?”

“No I’m fine. No need to go to the hospital. I’m good now.”

Maggie looked at him and studied him for a couple of minutes and nodded.

“I made you some food,” Maggie said, as she went over and got him a plate with a sandwich and a glass of juice. She brought it back and set it in front of him. Bucky gave her a smile before he picked up the sandwich and took a bite out of it.

“Thanks. I needed this,” Bucky said, as he watched Maggie sit next to him on the couch.

“You’re welcome.”

Once Bucky was done eating his sandwich and he leaned back. Maggie scooted back closer to Bucky. Bucky didn’t mind. They had hung out and just talked sometimes. Other times, they just sat there in silence. Maggie just sat there and didn’t say anything, she was just there with him. Bucky found that comforting. Since he had been interacting with Maggie he hadn’t had many nightmares.

He was glad for that. Bucky noticed Maggie moved until she sat side by side with him. Maggie leaned her head and rested on his shoulder. Bucky didn’t say anything. It was a few minutes before Bucky realized she was asleep. He just stayed like that until he needed to use the bathroom. Once he was done, he looked for her keys. Once they were in hand he picked up Maggie’s sleeping form and headed back to her apartment.

He headed to the back room. It took him a minute to figure out which room was hers. He entered her bedroom and he placed her on the bed. He was about to leave when Maggie hand stopped him. He looked at her.

“Stay,” Maggie whispered. Bucky wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t know what to do. He thought about it. If he left it meant her apartment would be open until Maggie decided to get up and lock the door. He wanted Maggie to get some rest since she had been taking care of him the past day and a half.

“Okay,” Bucky replied. He then sat up against the wall and kept her hand in his. It was comforting being around Maggie.  It took a few minutes before he realized she was asleep. Bucky let his mind wander.

    ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~

Steve Rogers looked at the paper in his hand. It was a tip he had received a few days ago. He wasn’t sure if the tip was valid or not. All the leads he had gotten in the past ended up being a dead end. There was a folder which had all the stuff having to do with his search for Bucky.

It had been a long time since the whole Hydra within in S.H.I.E.L.D. fiasco. He knew Bucky had saved him when he fell after their fight on the Triskelion. Steve hoped Bucky was okay. He would blame himself if Bucky wasn’t doing well.  Sam was there to help find Bucky. Steve had an idea Sam would be a good person to help Bucky if he needed help. Steve wanted to be prepared for any situation which might come up.

“You okay?” Sam asked as he looked at the paper in Steve’s hand.

“Yeah I’m good. I just don’t know if this lead will lead us anywhere or to Bucky. I’ve been searching for him for so long. I never thought what I would do once I found him,” Steve told Sam.

Sam placed a hand on his back.

“Steve, it’s okay. You deserve to be happy. I know you have spent all your energy in finding Bucky but maybe you should let yourself  imagine what will happen once you guys are reunited,” Sam told him.

“I’m not sure if I really want to do that, in part due to the fact I have no idea how we’re gonna find him.”

“Steve give yourself a break. You’re going to wear yourself out if you don’t let yourself relax every once in awhile.”

“I know, I know. I just want to make sure my best friend is okay.”

“I know you do. So are we going to follow up on this lead?” Sam asked him with a smile on his face.

“You know we are,” Steve replied as he grabbed the keys from the nightstand of the hotel they were staying at. They headed to the rental car they had gotten for this trip and were off to see if the lead led anywhere.

It didn’t take long to follow the lead they had received. In the end the lead led to a dead end again, but in its place there was another lead. Steve was starting to get the feeling Bucky didn’t want to be found. This latest lead took them to a Paris, France. Steve’s gut feeling said Bucky was stateside, so he decided to ignore the clue. Steve would get some rest then he would started looking for any clue to where Barnes might be. He and Sam headed back to the hotel. They of course stopped by In-N-Out to get something to eat. When they got back they relaxed for awhile before heading to bed. They wanted to be fresh and ready to work when they woke up in the morning or afternoon.

    ~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~//~

Maggie let out a yawn when she noticed something different. Someone was holding her while she slept. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep at Bucky’s place. She looked up to see Bucky  sleeping. Maggie just watched him, he looked so peaceful. It was nice to see him relaxed. They had come a long way from being total strangers to one another.

Maggie moved and kissed Bucky on the lips. It was a few moments before Bucky kissed her back. Maggie knew she was in love with Bucky, but she wasn’t going to admit it out loud. There was no way to predict how Bucky would take the news. She didn't want to scare him off. Things were good between them and she didn't want it to change anytime soon.

Maggie and Bucky were spooning. The last few hours were great. Maggie knew she would probably going to give it a day or two before they could make love again. Maggie was happy. She was with the man she loved.

Maggie just watched Bucky as he slept. It was good that he enjoyed it as much as she did. It was at that moment when Bucky opened his eyes.

“Afternoon beautiful,”

“Did you enjoy last night?” Maggie asked Bucky. He looked at her with a smile on his face.

“Yes I did. Do you want to cuddle for a bit before we have to get up and get our day started?” Bucky asked.

“Sure,” Maggie said as she pressed her body closer to Bucky’s. She let out a sigh then smiled to herself.

“Order Up,”  Bucky said, as Gretchen came up and took the order from the counter. Gretchen had a smile on her face as she walked away. Bucky had a sneaking suspicion that she was up to something and somehow she would drag him into her scheme… whatever the scheme was.

Bucky shook his head then he took the next ticket and worked on the next order. It didn’t take too long to get the next order finished.  Bucky knew Maggie was going to met him for dinner which was in about a couple of hours, he just hoped nothing happened until then.

The next order was given to the customer. It was then Gretchen made her approach again.

“James, I am wondering if you could help me out with something,” Gretchen said sweetly. Bucky looked at her. It didn’t seem like she was going to get the hint he wasn’t interested in dating her at all. He had Maggie and she was the one he cared about. Of course he wasn’t going to tell her that. Gretchen would use her against him and he didn’t want Maggie to come to any harm.

“Gretchen I am not able to help you out I have plans,” Bucky told her. He hoped she wouldn’t push. Throughout the months he worked here she had flirted with him. He hadn’t flirted back hoping she would get the hint that he wasn’t interested, but it seems like she wasn’t getting the message.

“Gretchen, I know you’re interested in me, I am flattered by it. I am just not interested at this time,” Bucky told her.

“Why not?” Gretchen asked him.

“I am just not.”

“Is it because of another woman?” Gretchen asked.

“It doesn’t matter. Just know I am not interested.”

“Fine,” Gretchen said, as she turned and left. What surprised him was when she took off her apron and threw it to the floor and marched out the door out of the restaurant. Gretchen left which meant there was no waitress. Carlos wasn’t at the restaurant at the moment. It was going to be difficult for him to try and run the grill and try to take orders, but what could he do right now. Gretchen just walked out and the next waitress wouldn’t be in until two hours for now. This wasn’t good.

Bucky looked out to see a few customers.  There were people in two booths and  a couple of  people sitting at the counter. Bucky figured he would be able to handle those who were in the restaurant as long as no one else came in he would be fine.  Bucky finished the order. He put it on the plate and then he went and delivered it to the customer.

“Thank you,” the man said. Bucky froze when he heard the voice.  The two men who sat in the booth wore hats and sunglasses. It was the reason Bucky didn’t recognize them until they said something.

 _‘Shit,’_  Bucky thought his past had come back to bit him in the ass. He prayed it wasn’t his best friend. If it was then he would lose Maggie once she found out the truth about him.

“You’re welcome,” Bucky said, as he hoped that his thinking was wrong.

“Bucky,” Steve said.

Bucky’s hope was crushed with his name being said from his best friend.

Bucky looked at Steve.

“Hi,” Bucky meekly replied.

“So this is where you have been this whole time?” Steve asked him.

“Yes. Sorry,but I have to cut this short. I have a shift to finish.” Bucky told him. He turned and went back to the kitchen, but on the way back he went to pick up Gretchen’s apron and took out the order book. He actually had to keep an eye on the customers. His gaze fell back on Steve every once in awhile.

His two worlds were about to collide into each other. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He had a normal life and everything  was fine, but now Steve was back in his life and his life with Maggie was now in danger because of it.

A little time had passed when Maggie walked in, she had a smile on her face. Bucky watched as she took a seat in the booth next to Steve and Sam. Bucky was worried, but he pushed the worry aside he was at his job and he was going to act professional to a certain extent.

Bucky made his way out he made his way over to where Maggie was at. When he got there he felt Steve’s eyes on him. Bucky leaned over and gave Maggie a quick kiss.

“What can I get you?” Bucky asked. Maggie looked around then she looked at him.

“Where’s Gretchen?”

“She walked out, so I am here by myself. I am glad it’s not busy at the moment,” Bucky said.

“So am I. I’ll have my usual,” Maggie replied. Bucky took out the order book and wrote down her order, then he went back to the kitchen to get her order ready.

Bucky brought out her drink first, then he went back and got her order ready. Bucky on one of the times going back to the kitchen after talking to Maggie  caught his eyes. Bucky couldn’t read what Steve was trying to convey to him with his eyes.

Bucky was relieved when John Allerdyce the other waiter walked in. John looked around then he made his way to Bucky.

“James what happened to Gretchen?”

“She quit a couple of hours ago. No Carlos doesn’t know. I didn’t want to pull you in early. It hasn’t been that busy so everything has been okay.”

“You could have called I would have came,” John told him.

“Thanks for the offer, but I don’t know your number. The boss's office is closed so there’s no way to get it .” Bucky admitted.

“Okay. At least the restaurant closes in four hours,” John  said.

“Well, the kitchen closes in three hours. It shouldn't take me too long after to close up,” Bucky said. He knew Steve and Sam would stay until closing; Maggie would stay until closing as well. They usually go home together.

They got back to work. Time went by quickly. Soon Bucky was closing up the restaurant.

“You sure you got this?” John asked, once he got to the door.

“Yeah, I am good. You should head home. I just have to grab my jacket then Maggie and I are out the door,” Bucky said, as Maggie stood up from where she sat at and headed to the door. She stopped to wait for Bucky.

Bucky went and got his jacket from the locker he used when he was working. He put the jacket on. He turned the lights off before he walked out the door with Maggie, and John. He wondered where Steve and Sam were at. They left a little while before he got off shift.

John got on his motorcycle and left, but not before giving both Maggie and Bucky a wave good-bye. As soon as John left Bucky turned and gave Maggie a passionate kiss.

When Bucky pulled back.

“Wow,” Maggie  said stunned. She looked at Bucky. “What was that for?”

“Because I love you,” Bucky admitted as heat rose to his cheeks.

For him he knew he was in love with her when he realized he wanted to protect her all those months ago. He just hoped telling her how he felt  wouldn’t cause him to lose her once she realized who he really was.  He knew his past would pop up again. He wasn’t sure exactly when that was. Steve Rogers came and found him. He wasn’t sure what their intent was, all he knew was he wanted to make sure Maggie was safe. Bucky and Maggie started to walk to the monorail. Maggie and Bucky entwined their hands together.

It was then a car pulled up next to them. Bucky knew who was in  the car. It seemed like his past was going to met with his present and his future. He just hoped Maggie would stay with him after she found out everything about him.

The driver’s window was rolled down.

“Bucky,” Sam said. Bucky stopped and Maggie stopped too. She gave him a questionable look.

“Sam.”

“We’ll give you a ride that way we can talk, after we drop off your friend,” Sam said as the car sat there idle. It was then Steve said something.

“Bucky, this is up to you. Right now no one but us knows where you are. All we want….I mean all I would like is a chance to talk.”

Bucky looked past Sam to Steve. Bucky looked at Maggie who wore a concerned look on her face. Steve took off his hat and sunglasses to look at Bucky. It took Maggie a few second to realize who it was.

“You’re Steve Rogers,” Maggie said in a whisper. Her grasp on Bucky’s hand loosened. She looked at Bucky and took a couple of steps backwards.  “That means you're Bucky Barnes.”

Bucky nodded his head. He didn’t know what to say. He watched as her eyes  widened for a second, she then took another two steps backward then she took off towards the monorail without saying another word to him.

Bucky was torn. He wanted to go after her, but then he wanted to talked to Steve to see if their relationship could be salvaged.

“Give her time Buck, it's probably a shock to find out that she knows Bucky Barnes best friend of Steve Rogers.” Steve said.

“Can we wait until she gets safely on the monorail before we leave please?” Bucky asked.

“Sure,” Steve replied as he got out of the car and went over to Bucky’s side. “We have all the time we need to talk so we can wait.”

Bucky watched Maggie who sat down on a bench at the monorail station. They waited a few minutes before the monorail came and Bucky saw Maggie get on and leave the station.

Once Bucky knew Maggie was safely on board he got into the backseat of the car. Steve sat in the back with Bucky.  Sam looked at the rearview mirror.

“Where are we heading, to the hotel or your place, Bucky?” Sam asked.

Bucky looked at Sam.

“My place,” Bucky said without hesitation. With the directions Sam made it to Bucky’s apartment without any incident. The whole time during the ride they didn’t talk.

Bucky got out of the car and headed to his apartment. He knew Maggie wouldn’t be back for another ten minutes. He wanted to make sure she got in okay.He was worried what her reaction would be once she’d had time to digest who he was.

Steve and Sam followed him to his apartment. Bucky opened the door. They walked in Bucky put his keys on the hook which was next to the door.

“Make yourselves at home. Would you guys like anything to drink?”

“No, thank you,” Sam said, as he took a seat on the couch. Steve shook his head and took a seat at the other end of the couch. Bucky grabbed a chair from the kitchen table and put it in front of Steve and Sam.

“So….” Bucky said, as he looked at both of them. He wasn't sure exactly what to expect from either of them.

“Bucky, I've been looking for you everywhere,” Steve told him.

Of course he knew that Steve had been looking for him. Bucky head kept moving, never staying in one place too long. For him he wasn't sure at that time exactly what he wanted to be exact, so he decided to get caught or found by anybody especially Steve.

“I know, at that time I wasn’t ready to found,” Bucky said. Things with him at that time were a bit confusing so he  stayed  away and kept his distance.

Now that he was found, he had a decision to make. The decision was  Maggie's as well. It wasn't just his life he had to worry about now, he had someone else who depended on him.

“Bucky…”

“Steve, all I know is that I have a life and I’m actually doing okay. Maggie has helped me more than I thought possible. I don’t want to give this up.”

“Ummm…”

“Please don’t make me do that Steve,” Bucky begged. All Bucky knew was that he wanted to be there for Maggie. He cared for her a lot and he could see a future with her. Right now he wasn't sure if she saw a future with him, he hoped she did. Bucky didn’t know what would happened if he lost her now.

Bucky saw Steve brows furrow he wasn’t sure exactly what Steve was thinking, but Bucky wasn’t about to give up the life he had created for himself.

“Bucky if I can find you then it means Hydra can find you. It might not be right now, but they will find you if not by accident,” Steve told him, as he moved forward on the couch and then leaned towards him. “Are you willing to risk her life to keep this life?”

Bucky looked at him. Then he said, “I can’t leave her. I love her.”

Steve and Sam’s face both had their eyes widen a bit.

“Buck.”

“Please don’t, this isn’t only my decision but hers as well. I am going to have to talk to her about it before I move forward with anything,” Bucky told them. For a few minutes they didn’t say anything.

A buzzing from Bucky’s pocket got his attention. Bucky took out the phone and looked at what had caught his attention.

Bucky saw there was a text message from Maggie. He pushed on her name to open the text.

_Need time to think staying at my sister's place._

Bucky brows furrowed. He was getting worried now. Maggie was an only child from what he knew so this text was alarming.

“What’s wrong Bucky?” Steve asked.

“I just got an odd text from Maggie.” Bucky said, as he reached out with the cellphone turned towards them showing them the message.

“What’s odd about her staying at her sister’s place?” Sam asked.

“Maggie’s an only child,” Bucky simply said. Just saying that should clear up everything.

“Bucky I am sure it’s just a mistake,” Sam assured him. Bucky looked at him. Steve he knew and trusted, but Sam he wasn’t sure of. Bucky knew Sam was Steve’s friend, but it didn’t mean he had to trust him immediately

“I know it’s not. It’s a sign something is wrong. I know it.”

“How do you know?” Sam asked.

“Maggie and I have talked. I let her know if she was in danger to let me know by giving me a fact which others would not know is true. This text tells  me she’s in danger. I have to figure out where she’s at without tipping my hand.”

Bucky typed out a reply. It wasn’t even a minute later did he get a reply.

_Her place isn’t on Hillcreast Street. Her place is on Reye Road. Don’t you remember her daughter Gretchen and their sons Axel,Mike and Jordan. I am going to be staying for a couple of days._

Steve and Sam looked at the text.

“Okay, if she doesn’t have a sister then what with this text?” Sam asked.

“She letting me know what the situation is without alerting the kidnapper.”

“So are you going to go and get her?”

“Yes, but I am not going in unarmed,” Bucky said. He got up and went to his closet, then he removed a couple of guns from a shoebox  which was on the floor tucked against the back wall.

“Do you need back-up?” Steve asked.

“I have to do this alone. I know the kidnapper and I am sure I can handle the three guys she has with her.”

“How do you know the kidnapper and how do you know how many goons she has with her?”

“Maggie’s text told me all that information,” Bucky replied as he hid the guys on his person. Then he stood up and headed to the door.

“You guys can stay here until I get back. Then we can talk if Maggie is still talking to me,” Bucky said over his shoulder.

Bucky made his way to where Maggie was being held. The thing was the house on the street was only three houses on a block. It would take a little time to  figure out which house Gretchen was holding Maggie in. It was night time so all the curtains should be closed. Right now Bucky had to keep his wit about him. If he loses it then his life with her was over, and that wasn’t what he wanted. Maggie was the woman for him nothing could ever change that.

Bucky watched closely. So far the he could tell no one was home in the middle house. The one on the right had the curtain open and he could see lights from a tv which illuminated the room. Another figure moved around the house and ended up sitting next to the person on the couch. There would be no way Gretchen could be holding Maggie there.

Bucky knew that house wasn’t the one where Maggie was being held. So it had to be one of the others houses. He just needed to figure out which one it was. It was then he caught the house on the left which curtain was closed, but there was movement from the curtains.

Gretchen looked at the forum in front of her, there sat in a chair with her hands tied behind her back was Maggie. Gretchen knew from watching James for months that she was the one who stole him from her. This was her time for revenge, she was going to get James one way or another.

A groan caught her attention. Gretchen watched as Maggie opened her eyes and looked around after a few moments  it dawned  on Maggie what her situation was. Maggie looked at Gretchen.

“Gretchen, what going on?”

“I am not going to let you get my man.”

“What do you mean?” Maggie asked as she eyed the man by the window.

“James is mine. I am not going to let you get your grimy hands on him. Once he realizes you are out of the picture then I go in and save the day.”

“What? Are you nuts? There isn’t any logic to your plan,” Maggie claimed.

“Well don’t worry about it. I sent James a message from your phone saying you were staying at your sister’s house with her kids. He’ll never know the difference.” Gretchen countered.

Maggie started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Gretchen started as she moved closer to Maggie, but only by a couple of steps. “I told you I will get my man.”

“There’s a flaw in your plan,” Maggie told her.

“What’s that?” Gretchen asked her with a smile on her face.

“You should have checked your facts first,” Maggie said matter of factly.

“Why is that?”

“If you have checked you would know I don’t have any siblings.”

“No, I read it off a document from your computer,” Gretchen said as the smile disappeared from her face.

“It wasn’t the document that was open on the computer when you checked it?”

“Yes it was, why is that bad?” Gretchen asked.

“No, it’s just the fact what was on the screen is part of a story I am writing.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well it’s true. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you find out the truth. I suggest you let me go. If not it will end badly for you,”  Maggie said as she put an emphasis on the word end.

“You’re in no position to threaten me,” Gretchen demanded, as she got right in front of Maggie’s face. A second later Gretchen backed away from Maggie and she held her nose which blood came from it.

“Let’s just say you’re in a bad position right now and things aren’t going to end the way you want them,” Maggie promised her.

“Well, I can tell you, it’s not going to end well for you either. So I guess were in the same boat,” Gretchen told her, as she got a towel to cover her nose to stop the bleeding. “If you broke my nose then let say I will return the favor.”

Maggie was silent. It would do her no good to aggravate her tormentor. Maggie knew Bucky was going to get her out of this, but she didn’t know how badly she would hurt when he did find her. It was then and there Maggie decided if Bucky rescued her then he did love her and she would stick with him.

If he didn’t then he still loved her, but wanted to go through the proper channels to get her back safely. She wanted to stay with Bucky, but knowing his true identity was a lot to handle. At least this gave her time to think things out with Bucky. Of course she was also formulating a plan to escape.

Gretchen left the room to go deal with her nose. Maggie hoped she did break her nose, she deserved a broken nose for pulling a stunt like this.

Maggie really just wanted to be in Bucky’s arms right now, but if she had stayed instead of taking off then she would be with Bucky right now and not in this situation.

Gretchen headed into the kitchen she threw the bloody towel into the trashcan. She needed to figure out what to do with her, maybe she should kill her. It would solve a lot of her problems then James would be hers. Gretchen would get what she wanted in the end.

She got another towel and pressed it to her nose  she hoped the bleeding stopped soon.

Unknown to Gretchen, Bucky had gotten into the house without attracting any attention or making any noise, he was able to sneak up behind her.  Bucky grabbed her. Gretchen who wasn’t expecting let out a yelp in surprise. Gretchen struggled against Bucky, but to no avail. Bucky had a good tight hold on her.

“Where’s Maggie?” Bucky asked. Gretchen dropped the towel in her hand.

“Why do you care about her?” Gretchen sneered.

“I do not need to tell you anything. I will ask again. Where is Maggie?”

“I will not tell you anything. You know I will get you in the end. Your fate is sealed so you should accept it now,” Gretchen told him.

“My fate isn’t with you. Once you realized that then the better off your life will be,” Bucky whispered into her ear. Gretchen got quiet. Bucky braced himself for her head to connect with his face, but it never came.  
  
“You win,” Gretchen said in a low voice.  Bucky put her down. Gretchen started to move to the other room. Bucky was about to follow her when Gretchen who stood near the counter which had pile of papers and mail on it grabbed something from the counter turned and faced him. Bucky heard a noise.  Bucky saw there was a gun with a silencer on it. Gretchen had shot him twice.

“If I can’t have you, then no one else can,”  Gretchen boasted.  

“Bucky,” Maggie screamed from the other room.

Bucky started towards Gretchen who had a panic looked on her face. She turned and ran into the cupboard door which was open.  Gretchen was on the ground she looked up at Bucky. In that second did Gretchen catch the metal arm with a red star on it. It was then did it dawn on her who he was. Gretchen try to scoot backwards but couldn’t she was against the wall.

“But you’re a ghost,” Gretchen whispered.

Bucky looked down at her.

“I see you finally figured out who I am. I am making you a promise here and now. If I ever catch you near me or Maggie whether it be to talk or try to harm  us in any way, I will end your life. Do I make myself clear?” Bucky asked. Gretchen just nodded her.

Bucky satisfied with the result headed towards where Maggie was. When he got into the room he saw her tied to a chair. Bucky ignored the pain and made his way to her side. He bent down and he immediately when to untie her.  As soon as her hands were free they wrapped around his neck. Bucky winced in her arm. Maggie pulled back and looked down.

“Bucky you’ve been shot.”

“I’ll be fine. Once I get back to our place I’ll get the bullet out and I will be fine,” Bucky told her. Maggie’s brows furrowed.

“Baby, I am fine,” Bucky told her, he then kissed her on the forehead. “Let’s get out of here.”

Maggie just nodded her head as they left the house. When they got outside he saw the rental car Sam was driving. They made their way toward the car.

Steve’s window was rolled down. When he was closer he noticed Steve eye’s widen a bit then he got out of the car and was by his side in a blink of an eye.

“Bucky you’re hurt,” Steve said.

“I’ll be fine once I get back to the apartment,” Bucky told them.

Steve opened the door so they could get into the car. Both Bucky and Maggie slipped into the back of the car. Maggie was applying  pressure to the wound. It made her feel better if she was doing something to stop the bleeding. The bleeding seemed to be slowing down, but he could get an infection. That was what she didn’t want happening. Maggie didn’t know about the abilities of the Winter Soldier so she didn’t know what his body could do.

When they got to Bucky’s apartment Maggie got him to his couch and sat him down.

“Get the bag from the hall closet on the third shelf and bring it here.” Bucky said as he looked at Steve. Steve went over and got what Bucky asked for. He handed it to him. Bucky took it and opened it . There in the bag was everything he needed to clean himself up.

“Let me get cleaned up first and then afterwards we can talk.” Bucky said, as he took Maggie’s hand from the wound. The bleeding had slowed even more. Maggie looked at the wound with amazement nothing could heal that fast.

Steve, Sam and Maggie watched as Bucky got himself cleaned up.

“Bucky, I am here if you need any help.” Maggie softly said. Bucky looked at her and gave her a smile.

“Thanks, but I got this.” Bucky told her. Then he got down to work. It took him ten minutes to get the bullets out and get cleaned up. He got everything straightened up. Now he sat on the couch with Maggie who sat beside him leaning against him. Steve and Sam sat in chair facing them.

“Bucky,” Steve said softly.

“I know, but what I said before still stands.” Bucky said, as he entwined his hands with Maggie’s.

“What was that?” Maggie asked curiously.

“Bucky told us he wasn’t going to make a decision without checking with you.” Steve told her. Maggie looked over at Bucky. Bucky really did love her if he was thinking about her when he made an important decision.

“What exactly does he have to make a decision on?”

“What he going to do now. Bucky knows if we can find him then others can find him as well.  There are others who want to make him back into the person he was before this.” Steve told her.

“Do you mean making him back into a killing machine? To make him the Winter Soldier again?” Maggie asked.

Sam and Steve nodded their head.

“I am not going to let that happen. If he needs to go with you then he can go.” Maggie told them. Maggie didn’t want to let Bucky go, but she didn’t want him to die because of her.  Her heart was breaking a little.

“Maggie…”

“No, Bucky.  You need to go with them. I am not going to be the reason why you are captured or killed by Hydra..”  Maggie insisted.

“I’m not going without you.” Bucky said softly. Maggie looked at him. She wasn’t expecting those words to come from his mouth.

“Ah...umm...Okay.”

“You’ll come with me?” Bucky asked hopefully, as he looked at her.

“Yes. There’s nothing to keep me here. I don’t really have any friends. Plus I can write anywhere I want. So I can move at a moment's notice.” Maggie said.

“I’ll call Carlos and let him know I am leaving. Also going to let the landlord know I am leaving since my lease is up in a few days. I am not going to renew. We can leave now if we have to. All this stuff was already here when I got here, so I don’t need anything much from here.” Bucky said. Maggie looked over at him.

“The landlord know if I leave I was going to leave the place furnished so all we have to do is drop the keys at the rental office and then we can go tonight. I’ll run over and get my stuff. I’ll let you get what you need from here.” Maggie said, as she got up and left to go to her apartment.

Bucky looked at Sam and Steve.

“Umm.... where are Maggie and I going to stay at?” Bucky asked.

“You’ll be staying on my floor at the Avengers Tower. You and Maggie can have your own room or you can share a room it’s up to you.” Steve said.

“Steve I can’t ask you to do that.”

“Bucky you’re my best friend. You’re not asking me to do this. I want to do this for you. I am glad to see you are happy.” Steve said as he stood up and gave Bucky a hug. Bucky returned the hug. It was great to have his best friend back. Life was looking up for him.

Maggie was back with her belonging in tow. The only thing she had was her laptop bag and a large luggage bag with her.

“Is that all you’re bringing?” Bucky asked her.

“Yes. This is a temporary home. If I was really home I would have gotten more things, which I haven’t so I haven’t found a home until now.” Maggie said.

She looked at Bucky with a smile on her face. Bucky returned the smile with one of his own. Bucky left the apartment with Maggie’s hand in his. Neither one of them looked back as they headed to the car. On the way they dropped the keys off to the rental office. They they got into the car and headed out. Bucky called Carlos and let him know he was leaving and he was sorry for the short notice. Carlos understood and wished him the best of luck.

In a few days they were at the Avengers Tower. Maggie had to pinch herself to make sure it wasn’t a dream, which it wasn’t. For her she was about to meet The Avengers. This wasn’t something that happened every day. Maggie stood beside Bucky when they got out of the car. They were in the parking garage underneath The Avengers Tower.

They were meet by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner.

“So who do we have here?” Tony asked.

“Tony, Bruce this is my best friend James Barnes and his girlfriend Maggie Saunders. “ Steve said, as Tony eyes they newcomers.

“We’re not here to make any trouble. Steve made a valid point. If he could find me then Hydra could find me. We thought it would be best to come here. We’ll stay out of the way.” Bucky said.

Maggie squeezed his hand, she knew this might be overwhelming for him. She was overwhelmed by everything at this time. It would take some time to get use to the fact she was living in the same building as The Avengers. She was still getting use to the fact she was dating Steve Rogers best friend who was also the Winter Soldier.

“Well, first things first. Jarvis allow restricted access to the Tower for James Barnes and Maggie Saunders.”

“Yes, sir.” Jarvis said. It was silent for a few moments. “Access has been instated.”

“Thank You.” Tony replied. He looked over at them.

“You guys will have to fill out some paperwork...nothing too drastic though.” Tony started as he watched both Bucky and Maggie just nodded their head in agreement. “Now for the living arrangement. I am sure you want separate rooms, right?”

Bucky looked over at Steve.

“I offered for them to stay on my floor.” Steve said.

Tony looked over at him.

“No, they will have a floor of their own.”  Tony replied.

“Mr. Stark, thank you for the offer, but I want to stay with Bucky.” Maggie admitted.

Tony stopped and looked at her. This was the first time Maggie had spoken.

“I’ll give you guys a floor them.”

“Tony, I am sure they would be fine on my floor. Let’s let them adjust to being here first before throwing them into a floor of their own.” Steve said, as he glance over at Bucky to see what his reaction was to this news.

Bucky’s face wasn’t readable.”

“Mr. Sta-” Bucky started, but was cut off.

“Call me Tony. Mr. Stark is my father.” Tony replied.

“Tony, thank you for offer. If you could Maggie and I would like to have time to discuss what we want to do. If you could let us have time to discuss it we will get back to you when we have and answer for you.” Bucky said.

Tony looked at them. MAggie nodded her head in agreement with Bucky.

“All right. Just let Jarvis know when you come to a decision. He will let me know.”

“Okay.” Bucky said, as he watched Tony and Bruce walk off they were talking about something dealing with science.

Sam shook Steve's hand and gave him a pat on his back and the  he left them.

“Thank you Steve.”

“Not a problem Bucky. Let head to my floor and we can get you two settle in. ” Steve said, as he watched as Maggie got her bags. Bucky took the  large luggage bag and followed Steve. Maggie walked beside Bucky.

It didn’t take long for Steve to get both Bucky and Maggie settled into their new home. It was great to have Bucky back, of course there were going to be issues every now and again. Bucky had been through alot and Steve knew he was starting to heal now. He wanted to be part of the process to help Bucky heal.

A week later there was news of a Diner blowing up. When the diner’s name appeared on the screen both Bucky and Maggie knew it was Hydra. It was good that they had moved before Hydra caught up with him.  Bucky did have his issues, but he knew he had people who cared about him and would help him through the rough patches.

Bucky was laying on the couch reading a book. He was aware Maggie sat at the end of the couch reading a book of her own. Suddenly Maggie bent over in pain holding her stomach. Bucky sat up and was by her side.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel well.” Maggie said,as the pain subsided.

“Jarvis, where is the medical wing in Star Tower?”

“The Medical floor is on floor twenty. I will let them know you are coming.” Jarvis replied.

“Thank you.” Bucky said, as he and Maggie stood up and made their way to the elevator. It was a couple of minutes before they got to the Medical floor. Bucky and Maggie got out of the elevator and headed to the desk through the double door.

“Mr. Barnes and Miss Saunders we’ve been expecting you.” a nurse said. The nurse handed Maggie a plastic cup. “I need you to pee into the cup and once you’re done put a top on it and put it in the hole in the wall between the two red arrows. Well, have Mr.. Barnes wait in exam room five.”

Maggie nodded her head and then she took the cup and went to use the bathroom. It was a few minutes before she entered the exam room. Both Bucky and Maggie wasn’t sure what to expect. They knew their would be a doctor to see her soon.

“Baby it’s okay. What ever it is I am not going to disappear on you. I just want to let you know I am here for you.” Bucky said.

“I know. It’s just I haven’t been feeling well for the past month. I was hoping it wasn’t anything, but I guess it’s something now.” Maggie admitted.

That’s when the doctor came in.

“What’s wrong with her?” Bucky asked. This didn’t surprised the doctor at all.

“Hello. I am Doctor Evans. I will be your doctor for the duration for your stay here.” he started. Doctor Evans turned his attention to Bucky. “Nothing is wrong with her. The news is actually good news.”  


“What is it then?” Bucky asked.

“Congratulation you’re going to be parents.” Doctor Evan told them.

Both Bucky and Maggie eyes widen a bit. It was a surprise to them, this wasn’t something they thought would have happen. They had made love only once and they had used protection. The protection didn’t work. Now their lives were going to be changed for the better they hoped.

It was a few moments before the doctor spoke again.

“I am not sure exactly what’s wrong with her, if you you’ll allow we would like to run some test on her.”

Bucky looked over at Maggie. Maggie nodded her head. This was their first child and she wanted to make sure everything goes well for them.  It wasn’t long before Maggie was taken to run some test. Bucky waited for her in the waiting room. It was an hour later when Maggie emerged from the room where they had given her the test.

Bucky was by her side.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, fine.Let’s go home.”

“Okay.”

They knew whatever came up or whatever happens they would face it together. Bucky and Maggie headed to the elevator with a smile on their face. Life was good for the moment.


End file.
